Family Matters: The Hiko Reunion
by Cindy Shilanka
Summary: It's a normal day for Hiko Seijuro--or so he thinks. Until his idiot apprentice shows up with a mysterious and somewhat childish young woman. Tell me if I should continue it!
1. HikoWHAT?

Disclaimer: As much as I wish I could say that I own the characters from Rurouni Kenshin, I can't. Legally anyway. So yeah, they're not mine, so don't bug me. Tho' I can say that I own the female character in this story, since I made her up.

Family Matters : The Hiko Reunion

Sunlight poured into the small home of Hiko Seijuro through the sole little window on the east side, falling over the muscular contours of the large-statured swordsman. His eyes opened slowly and adjusted to the light of the room, and he slowly leaned up to a sitting position. He glanced out the window at the position of the sun. Something was wrong. He never woke up this early.

He grudgingly got to his feet and sauntered over to the door. Opening the door, he stared down the dusty mountain road. Void of anything but dirt, as usual. But that was the way Hiko liked it. He attempted to shake the strange feeling he had as he went about his usual morning activities, but, to his annoyance, he failed to do so. Just as he was contemplating what he was going to do for breakfast, he heard someone walking up the path. He gripped his sword that had been leaning on a wall of his small house behind him and waited, confidently knowing he could take out anyone who happened to come up that path.

After a few seconds of the sound of sandals scraping dirt, Hiko already knew exactly who was coming. He rolled his eyes, muttered 'Baka denshi.', and went back to his breakfast dilemma. Within another half minute, Himura Kenshin made his way into view. The red-haired swordsman warily walked up to Hiko, who was already spinning a fish on a spit over a fire.

"Erm-" Kenshin began unsteadily before his sensei cut him off.

"I thought I told you not to bother me again."

"Well, you see--"

"If you want help with another fight, the answer is no."

"It's nothing like that, it's--"

"Stop stuttering and speak, baka denshi."

"I'm trying, de gozaru yo!"

Hiko glanced up from his fish. "Well, what is it?"

"It's just- . . .I needed to ask you something."

This gained Kenshin a flat look from his master.

"What is it now? Some other freak that wants to rule Japan from inside a few rolls of bandages?"

"No, it's about the Hiten Mitsurugi Style, in general, I suppose."

"What about it?"

"Well, . . .where did you learn it from?"

Hiko stared hard at the small swordsman. "Why do you--"

He trailed off, as he suddenly realized that he was no longer holding the fish that he had been eating moments before. He glanced briefly down at his empty right hand before looking up to see a woman, calmly sitting a few feet away, contentedly eating his fish. The fish that he had caught that morning. The fish that he had put forth effort, if only a little, to catch and cook.

Kenshin followed Hiko's gaze, and stared wide-eyed at the woman, wearing a sweatdrop.

Hiko glared over at the audacious woman with the gall to steal his breakfast. "Give that back, wench," he called over, thoroughly annoyed by the day's events thus far.

Kenshin blinked confusedly at the woman. "Miss Yumika? Wh-what are you doing here?"

Hiko surveyed the woman that his baka denshi had just called: 'Yumika'. She had long black hair, that was partially braided behind both of her ears, and partially back in a braid on the back of her head, with the remaining hair falling about her shoulders. She wore a deep blue yukata with creme-colored hakama, and blue socks to match her yukata with sandals. Her sparkling green eyes were squinted with happiness as she munched on the stolen fish. He also observed that she had a sword at her waist, tied onto her hakama.

At Kenshin's question, the woman had looked up at him. "Hiya, Kenshin! Y'know, you're one of the easiest people I've come across to follow."

"B-but--" Kenshin stuttered, surprise still upon him, "why did you follow me?"

"'Cause you said something last night about going to visit your sensei, and I wanted to meet him!" She finished off the last of the fish, licking the spit.

"Uh . . .well, this man is--"

"Hiko Seijuro. 13th master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Style."

Hiko suppressed a twitch of his eye. "How do you know who I am, you fish-snatching wench?"

Yumika looked slightly hurt at this question. "You-. . .don't remember me?" Then she smirked, and added, "well, it has been ten years. You're getting forgetful in your--"

"Don't say it. I am not old."

"You're over forty. It's perfectly understandable to have memory loss . . ."

Kenshin, looking at the annoyance in Hiko's eyes, decided to intervene. "Well, ten years is a long time . . .I'm sure you've both changed quite a bit since then . . ."

"No, he hasn't changed one bit since the last time I saw him. Well, a bit taller, I suppose, but his attitude sure hasn't changed . . ."

"You're just spewing nonsense now," Hiko stated, getting more annoyed with this woman with every second she continued playing as though she knew who he was. "Everything that you've said thus far is merely information you could have squeezed from my baka denshi."

Yumika smiled, unafraid. "What can I tell you to make you believe that I saw you ten years ago?"

Hiko commended himself on his flawless memory. "You can tell me exactly why I was anywhere near you."

The black-haired woman didn't bat an eye before promptly answering. "You had just heard of the death of your father."

Hiko's eyes uncharacteristically went wide. He caught himself and narrowed his eyes before going on. "So you know that my father died about ten years ago. So what? That still doesn't prove much of anything to me."

"If I told you exactly how he died, then would you believe me, Hiko-oji?"

Hiko was barely able to refrain from twitching. "What did you just call me?!"

"Your father was killed by your brother, wasn't he? Well, guess what? Your dad was my grandfather!!"

Now Hiko wished he didn't have quite so good of a memory. "Oh no. You're not that daughter of my moron of a brother, are you?!"

Yumika giggled. "The one and only! So nice to see you again, Uncle Hiko!!"

****

So there it be!! Tell me if I should keep going with it . . .or if it just stinks. Thanks muchly! *peaces out*


	2. Family Feuding

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own any of the Rurouni Kenshin characters, nor will I ever. I take rights to the female character, however, she IS mine. And yes, this probably ISN'T Hiko's real past or genealogy. But it's a blasted fan fiction for crying out loud, and it goes hand-in-hand with my characters past. So deal with it or don't read it. *ahem* So yes, enjoy!

He couldn't believe it. His past was haunting him again. Not only does his baka denshi show up out of the blue, he brings a fish-snatching long-lost niece with him. It wasn't his fault his brother was a complete idiot and went off and had a family right near the end of a war! And wasn't it his only brother that killed his father: his teacher, the one who had taught him the Hiten Mitsurugi Style? Sure, his father might have had some strange ideas about how to use the swordsmanship skills, but that hadn't been any good reason just to slaughter him. Which was exactly what his brother had done. Of course, this came from the only eye-witness: his brother's daughter, who had also been learning swordsmanship from his father at the time. Who says that anyone should believe her anyway? 

Though as Hiko turned all this information around in his mind, he supposed it made sense that this could be his brother's daughter. He had only seen the girl once before, and she was a young teenager then. And even at that meeting, she had only stayed long enough to pay respects for her grandfather and her father, who had died the same night coincidentally, before disappearing to who knows where. No one ever truly found out how her father died. All the police could tell him was that when they had arrived at the burning dojo, they rushed into the fiery building to find the two men lying dead in the main kendo room, two bloody swords, and the girl sobbing over the bodies. Her word was what they had to take.

But for whatever the reason, here she was, sitting in front of him, grinning like there was no tomorrow. Hiko almost felt sick.

"So, do you believe me now?"

"I suppose I have no choice."

"Nope!"

"That was not the answer I wanted to hear."

"And what would that answer be?"

"Silence."

"Just as I thought. You haven't changed one bit since the last time I saw you!"

"Neither have you. From what I can tell."

"Hey, I'm only going off of what I saw when you showed up for the funeral. It's not like I could have talked to you . . ."

Kenshin decided to take this opportunity to get out while the sea was still somewhat calm.

"Um, yes, master? She's the reason I wanted to know where you learned the Hiten Mitsurugi Style from . . .she finally told us that her surname was Hiko. I thought maybe there was some sort of connection . . ."

Hiko glared over at his apprentice. "What does that have anything to do with where I learned Hiten Mitsurugi?"

Kenshin looked slightly taken aback. "Because . . .Miss Yumika uses the technique as well. . .oh never mind. I'll leave you two to reminisce . . ."

Hiko grabbed the back of Kenshin's yukata. "Hold it, you use the Hiten Mitsurugi?" Hiko asked Yumika accusingly.

"Of course I do! Your father taught it to me!"

Kenshin was slowly worming his way out of Hiko's grasp as the two continued conversing.

"But you were only around ten when he died-!"

"Thirteen and a half, thank you very much! And I learned very quickly!"

"That's impossible. It took me-my baka denshi years to learn the entirety of it. Not even considering the fact that he skipped out on the final technique-just as he is now skipping out of a situation he created himself!"

"Just thought I'd better be getting back!" Kenshin called over his shoulder, having already sprint halfway down to the dirt trail.

"Get back here, you baka denshi!!" Hiko called after him, though not wanting to put forth the effort to get up and catch him. Though he knew without a doubt that he could.

"No, no! I'm sure you two have plenty to talk about!!" the red-haired swordsman called one last time before disappearing down the mountain path. When he was at a distance that he knew Hiko wouldn't chase after him to, he stopped running. "I just don't want to be there if master Hiko blows a fuse . . ." he said to himself, "and knowing Miss Yumika-it won't be long or difficult for her to get him to . . ." He shook his head, hoping that the two didn't kill each other before they would be able to get to know each other.

Meanwhile, Hiko glared at the young woman sitting across from him.

"So, what do you want?!"

Yumika blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

"What did you come here for? So you can leave."

"Do you really not like me that much?"

"Less."

"Why? 'Cause you hated your brother? That's kinda prejudiced if you ask me."

"But no one did."

"You really don't want me here, do you?"

"You're a quick one, aren't you?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I just wanted to see how you had come along, you know. I mean, you were just a wandering nobody the last time I saw you."

Hiko slightly raised an eyebrow.

Yumika sighed, leaning back, putting her arms behind her head. "Quite frankly, I'm sorta disappointed. Sheesh, you don't even have that wandering mystique about you anymore. Now you're a sit-at-home nobody."

Hiko was barely able to refrain from strangling the girl on the spot.

"I happen to do some very important training up here!" he annoyingly muttered, though thinking that if she really had any sort of relation to him, she probably wouldn't buy it.

"Uh huh. Like teaching baka denshis unlearned techniques? Sounds riveting."

"You don't have to like it. It would probably be preferable if you didn't."

"All right then, I will."

"What?!?"

The black-haired young woman grinned. "I think I'm gonna hang around here for a while, you know, 'learn from the master'."

"No. Way. You're going to get up and follow right behind my baka denshi. And never come back."

She sighed heavily. "All right. If you really want me to . . . guess you don't want to hear about all those secret family techniques of the Hiten Mitsurugi Style . . ."

Hiko stared hard at her smug face. She could be lying. It was quite possible actually. She could be using her knowledge of his past to buy some time to annoy him. But was that the only reason, though? He had a hunch there was some other hidden motive, but he couldn't put a finger on it yet. Of course, there always was the slim chance that she was telling the truth. His father might have mentioned those techniques to him once. Yes! His memory pulled up a single comment of his father near the beginning of his training. But why hadn't he taught them to him? What did this little girl know that he didn't? Now he felt he had to know. But there was still that 'reason' part of his brain saying: 'You moron. What do you think you're talking about?! She's only here to annoy the heck out of you. There is no way.' But as he watched the girl walk backwards towards the path, that smug smile still painting her face, his infamous pride took over. He was not going to let this girl get the best of him. He vowed to keep his cool, no matter what.

"One night. You have one night, and then you're gone. Got it?!"

Yumika pumped a fist into the air. "Yeah!! I knew that would get you! I'll teach you one of the techniques tonight, kay? You won't be sorry!"

"I already am. You'd better give me something I don't know . . ."

"Don't worry! I'm positive you don't know any of them!"

"How's that?" Hiko asked blandly, already plotting to have her go catch him another fish.

Yumika pointed at his sword. "You carry a katana. That's how I know."

Hiko's brow furrowed at this statement. He sighed, deciding to file that away for future contemplation. "Well, get me a fish."

"Huh?"

"Get me another fish. You stole my other one. Hop to it!"

Yumika grinned. "Right!" She pushed back the sword at her waist and zipped off, fast as lightning, for the stream.

Hiko leaned back, the sun on his face. Eh, maybe he could get used to this. For a day.

****

Thar it be! Chapter two! Thank ye very much for reading, and we'll see you next week. *cough* month *coughcough* Okay, now-review! Go, lemmings, go! Luv ya! *huggles the cute little furry mammals*


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